


no, no, it's my treat

by Gone_by_dawn



Series: 100 ways to say... criminal minds [3]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, it's always fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-16
Updated: 2019-01-16
Packaged: 2019-10-11 00:27:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17436371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gone_by_dawn/pseuds/Gone_by_dawn
Summary: Derek invites Reid to dinner... where on earth was the miscommunication?





	no, no, it's my treat

"They've been doing that for at least a week, you know."

Spencer jumped, surprised by the sudden voice. He glanced over for a brief second to see Morgan grinning at him from his side, before turning back to the girls. The taller man jerked his head in reference to where JJ and Garcia stood, excitedly whispering back and forth.

"Have they? What are they talking about, you think?"

Mogan shrugged. "I don't know, but they kinda keep looking at you, Pretty Boy."

"Me?" Spencer raised an eyebrow. Now he  _knew_ this was a joke. "Why would they be looking at me, Derek?"

"How should I know?" His voice sounded a little bit different than it had just a second ago, Spencer noted. "I'm just saying, whatever they're talking about, it probably would have to do with you."

Spencer scoffed. "Yeah right. I promise I'm not that interesting."

"Is that so?" Morgan asked. He was still grinning. "What makes you say that?"

He finally turned to give the other agent his full attention. "I mean, you've met me. What do you think?"

"I like you."

"Yeah, well, thanks, but am I someone you would ever hang out with after work? Compared to you and Garcia and Rossi, I'm kind of boring."

Derek laughed, hand coming up to rest on Spencer's shoulder. "Alright, first of all, Reid, I promise that I'd sooner go out with you than Agent Rossi. And second, I think you're selling yourself short, kid. I mean you're young, you're smart..."

"Derek, we're basically the same age."

Morgan sighed. "No, not--that wasn't even the point. Okay, how about this. Me and Garcia were gonna go for drink tonight, but how 'bout we go to dinner instead?"

For a second, Spencer did nothing except frown. Then, "Alright, if you're sure, I'd like to. Text me when."

Derek felt his heart beat normally again. 

~~~

"You actually asked him out?!" Garcia nearly screamed, voice high.

"Woah, babygirl. Calm down for a sec, would ya? We're going to dinner, I don't know if it'll end up as anything."

"You're taking him to dinner?" That one was JJ, leaning over the desk to be face to face with Derek. "What did you say?"

Derek tried to think back to the exact conversation, but mostly just remembered how Spencer had looked with that self-deprecating smile of his, and how insistent his urge to kiss it away had been. God help him, he seriously had the hots for this kid. 

"Well, we were talking about how interesting he was, and he made some offhand comment about how he wasn't the kind of person to be invited anywhere after work-" the girls made a few whining noises of protest, which Derek talked over, "and then I just asked if we could go to dinner tonight."

"Tonight? We were 'sposed to go clubbing tonight," Garcia pouted. 

"No offense, baby, you know I love you, but I'd rather be on a date with the really cute genius than getting drunk in a bar with bad music taste anyway."

Garcia yelped. "I'm a cute genius!" she shouted. "And my music taste is  _not_... well, okay, I'll give you that one, but!-"

JJ giggled loudly, and Penelope's argument dissolved as she slowly broke into laughter as well. After a minute, all three of them were near hysterics, for no apparent reason. JJ actually had tears in her eyes by the time she finally calmed down.

"So where are you going to take him?"

Derek smiled. "I know a place."

~~~

Spencer had said to text him about their date, but Derek had insisted on waiting for Spencer to wrap up work before taking him himself.

"You really don't have to, I just have a few more case files to finish and then I could meet you there. Besides, I think Garcia left already anyway."

Derek shrugged. "I want to though. And yeah she left like 20 minutes ago, why?"

"She doesn't need a ride too?" Spencer asked. Morgan paused, confused.

"I mean, she drives herself to work, so she should be able to drive herself home. Besides, she knows me and you are going out tonight, so if she did need a ride, she would've gotten one with JJ or Emily."

Spencer stopped writing abruptly. He frowned at the paper in front of him, mind visibly whirling. Slowly, after what felt like an eternity, he looked up at Derek. "oh," He said. His breath caught. " _Oh_." 

Derek was instantly concerned. "Reid, you alright? What's wrong?"

"N-No, I..."  _I_ _didn't realize this was a date. Is this a date? Am I doing this right?_  Spencer cleared his throat. "No, I, uh.. I just remembered that I left my wallet at home, and I don't-". He cut himself off, flustered. He'd never blushed more in his life.

Derek relaxed, smiling. " **No, no. It's my treat.** "

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah, that's," he cleared his throat again, looking at the floor before glancing back at Morgan. "That's great. We can go now, if you'd like."

"Don't you have p-"

"I can do that tomorrow."

Derek smiled again, blindingly bright, all teeth. "Okay."

 


End file.
